Warm Roast Chicken Breast And Bread Salad With Arugula Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BREAD AND ARUGULA SALAD

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a baking dish. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs without breaking the skin. Carefully slide the sprigs of thyme and the garlic under the skin. Put the lemon in the cavity. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the body. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sea salt and the pepper, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean!) Place the bread in a medium (10-inch) cast-iron skillet in a single layer. Brush the chicken with olive oil and place it, breast side up, on top of the bread. Roast for 30 minutes, turn it over and roast for 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Wrap the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for a full 30 minutes. (Don¿t worry; it will stay hot.) The bread will be almost burnt on the bottom and soft with the pan drippings on top.
• Place the Arugula Salad in a very large, shallow serving platter. Put the chicken and the bread on a cutting board. Cut the bread into 1-inch squares and sprinkle them on the salad. Carve the chicken thickly (see note) and place it on top of the salad. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, sprinkle it with sea salt, and serve warm.
• Whisk the vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk in the olive oil, stir in the scallions and currants, and set aside.
• Place the arugula in a large bowl, add the vinaigrette, and toss well.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ARUGULA AND BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place bread on large baking sheet. Bake until bread is lightly toasted, about 6 minutes. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.
• Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place breast side up on rack in heavy large roasting pan. Tie legs together to hold shape. Roast chicken 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°F, basting occasionally during last 15 minutes, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil.
• Pour pan juices into 4-cup measuring cup (do not clean pan). Spoon fat off top of pan juices, returning 2 tablespoons fat to pan. Add pan juices, canned chicken broth and vinegar to pan. Bring to boil atop stove, scraping up browned bits. Add green onions and currants. Simmer 3 minutes to reduce liquid slightly. Remove from heat. Add bread to pan and toss with juices. Mix in arugula. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken.

WARM ROAST CHICKEN BREAST AND BREAD SALAD WITH ARUGULA

Steps:

• Place oven rack at lowest level and preheat oven to 450.
• Toss bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Place bread in 8 inch baking dish and set aside.
• Dry chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until hot. Place chicken in skillet, skin side down, and saute until skin is deep golden color, about 5 minutes.
• Place chicken, skin side up, on bread cubes in baking dish and bake until the thickest part of the breast is 160-165 degrees and the bread is spotty brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Take care, don't overcook the breasts!
• Transfer chicken to cutting board. When chicken is cool enough, take meat off bones and cut into pieces similar in size to bread cubes. Throw away the bones.
• While chicken is baking, pour off fat in skillet, add the last tablespoon of oil, the garlic and thyme, and cook for a moment until the garlic is fragrant. Add broth and scrape up any brown bits from skillet. Cook until thickened slightly, stir in vinegar, cover, and take off the heat.
• Toss bread cubes in a bowl with most of dressing mixture in skillet - reserve 2 tablespoons - add chicken and any juices from it. Then add arugula, tomato, pine nuts and the remaining dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste - remember, the cheese will add some salty taste. Toss a final time. Garnish with Parmesan shavings and serve.
• (To gild the lilly a bit, you can add what Lydia Bastianich calls a final "blessing" of extra virgin olive oil. Or, put that on the table. Some will find it fine without.).
• Enjoy!